


A Caring Redneck

by ZessOnATeaCloud



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Caring Daryl, Daryl In Love, Daryl sings, Episode: s05e13 Forgotten, Established Relationship, Fluffy Ending, Judith is whiny, M/M, Parent Daryl, Rick in Love, Season/Series 05, Skeptical Rick, slight AU, surprised Alexandria Residents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-21
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-08-23 19:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8340586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZessOnATeaCloud/pseuds/ZessOnATeaCloud
Summary: Daryl goes to the Welcome Party after all and with Rick and a whiny Judith manages to shock the Alexandria residents. Then he brings Judith to bed and does something that surprises Rick again.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta read.  
> Also sorry about Daryl's accent, I tried.

This was aweful. How did he endure these gatherings back in the days? Easy answer, Lori had made him. First he had done it out of love, back when they still cared enough about each other, when they still loved each other. After that phase had passed he'd done it out of habit and obligation towards Lori and their friends, to uphold the 'we still care about each other'-facade.  
And here he was, again out of obligation to his family, his new family. This was dull as fuck but he would endure it again if it gave his family what they needed, what they have wanted since the prison fell. A home, or at least another steady place to live.

It was almost a mystery even to himself what kind of person he used to be. How much he had changed over the years. He was trying, really trying. He was smiling and making small talk, pretending that the world did not end and that they all could be happy and content now that they where in Alexandria. The promised land. He was trying and failing gloriously but he was acting like Carol was.

So maybe it was paranoia on his part but who could blame him for being suspicious after almost being slaughtered at Terminus and even worse almost getting his family killed. For a short moment when he was being held over that stainless steel tub, ready to get his throat slit, when he had exchanged what back then was supposed to be one last look with Daryl... he had been sure he would die.

“We were so glad when Aaron and Eric found us and invited us to live with them. This place is a real blessing these days”, the woman in front of him said with a nice smile. He did not remember her name and by now it seemed as if they all said the same things.  
It was overwhelming, to say the least.  
“It's also great for our children. Here they can grow up like children are supposed to. Safe and protected” her husband agreed with her and Rick found himself nodding and hugging Judith a bit closer so his chest.

No words could express how much he wanted this to be true, not another disappointment, another nightmare. For his family, for Carl and for Judith, for himself and Daryl. He secretly wanted a normal life. This normal life, with boring get togethers, cheap wine and tasty finger food. A safe and dry place to put his kids to rest and grow up protected. A bed to pull Daryl into his arms or be spooned by him and get a sound eight hours of sleep. He really did want this but he did not dare let himself believe it.

No amount of trying and pretending and ignoring would make this feeling he had deep in his gut disappear. Cop-intuition paired with his survival experience had so far been a very well tuned instrument for him. Right now it was blaring an alarm signal he did not know the meaning of yet. Deanna may think of herself as a good judge of character but she only knew people-people. People like herself, like they used to be. She had little experience with people like them. People like he was now and like Daryl had been his entire life.  
She was too much of a politician. 

A good look around told him that the people of Alexandria were ridiculously trusting. At least in his opinion. And he had to smile because he knew that his thoughts probably mimicked Daryl's.  
Now however they were joined by yet another pair.  
“It's nice to finally meet you all. We are all always a bit excited and nervous when someone gets out to look for new people. Has been a while since they actually brought someone back though.”  
“Deanna told us you are pretty specific when it comes to letting people in.”  
“Well, you can't be too cautious we have something special here. No offense”  
Rick shook his head “None taken. Would do the same.”

He had heard the people inside the wall when they had arrived in the car. It indeed was different from Woodbury and Terminus but still, he could not shake this strange unsettling feeling. It was too good to be true. 

“Oh, yeah. From what we've seen you would” at that Rick got skeptical and a bit confused and it must have shown on his face because the Alexandrians were laughing goodheartedly.  
“We saw your interview tape” the first woman, Ivett Rick though her name was, explained.  
He forced himself to smile at their joke.

His hearing was still finely tuned to hear approaching Walkers at night so it was easy to hear the front door open and close hesitantly.  
Automatically he looked to check and a knot he did not know was inside his stomach loosed. It was Daryl. He came after all and Rick felt always better when he knew where Daryl was or even better when he was within his line of sight.

With an almost not noticeable nod Daryl acknowledged him and then shuffled silently into the background. Out there Daryl could be invisible, if he did not want to be seen you would not even imagine he was right behind you. In here on the other side, Daryl stood out like a sore thumb.

Daryl spend most of his time outside the wall. Rick could not help himself but to compare Daryl's restlessness to that of a caged wild animal. He felt out of place and the Alexandrians felt the same way. Rick liked them less, distrusted them more just because of how unwelcome they where towards Daryl.  
Since Daryl choked that Guy that was about to attack Glen everyone seemed to avoid him even more than they already did due to seeing him walk around with the shot opossum.

“We don't want to hog you all night” the group in front of him made place for a couple maybe a bit older than Deanna.  
“Hi, I'm Rosemary and this is my husband Edgar”  
“Nice to meet you” Rick said and shook hands with them.  
“I heard you became our new constable. Congratulations” Edgar added with an honest smile. They seemed likable.  
“Thanks, yeah. Michonne and I are happy to contribute” that was a good answer and also true, more or less.  
“I'm sorry but your daughter is so precious” Rosemary changed the topic and patted Judith in a very grandmotherly fashion.

That's how the evening had gone by the entire time. People coming and gushing over Judith. As her father he was surely the last person to say his daughter was anything other short of beautiful and a treasure, also babies or even toddlers where a rare sight these days but did that really excuse all of them to just touch Judith like a doll?  
In his eyes, no it did not.  
Looking over told him Daryl thought “Hell no! Keep ya hands of'a her”.

“She has been a bit fuzzy the whole night” Rick apologized to the couple and shifted Judith into his other arm out of Rosemary's reach.

But apparently Rosemary had been the last straw and now Judith was getting more fretful, grumpy and uncomfortable by the minute. He rocked back and forth and tried to shush her but nothing helped. The parents in the room shot him knowing glances and tried to ignore the whiny girl.

On top of that Deanna had to come over and politely demand a conversation with him. She sure was bossy, he had no problem picturing her as a congresswoman.  
“Come Rick. I want you to meet someone” she said and already turned half around, used to people obeying her.  
“Alright, I just have ta give Judith to someone else. 's been a lot for her.” Deanna just nodded.

She said she was trying to figure Daryl out. Rick could barely conceal his grin at that thought. No matter how good you were, it was very difficult to truly figure his lover out. He knew first hand.  
So Deanna and every Alexandrian in here was in for a big surprise. And not coincidentally at all would it cause a great distraction for Carol to sneak into the armory.

As if she knew about her role Judith let out another little whine fidgeting in his arms. Waking across the room, around different groups of people Rick headed to a more secluded area.  
On his way he passed Maggie talking with Glenn and Noah and an Alexandrian, Rosita and Eugene and the place where not five minutes ago Carol had stood. Ignoring them all he went straight towards Daryl.

“People won't stop pinching and patting her cheeks. She might already dislike this place enough for all of us” Rick tried a very bad joke.  
“Pro'ly, an she might feel yer anxious ass 's not trusting these people” Daryl commented.  
“I'm not anxious, we already talked about this, I'm being cautious-”  
“Rick, chill. Give 'er ta me an get ya ass over there. I wanna get out a here.” Rick could not help but smile at Daryl for his care. He was aware that Daryl just said he would wait for Rick to finish with Deanna and then take him and their daughter home to have some time alone.

He did not realize that much he needed alone-time with Daryl until the hunter simply stated they where going to have some.  
Motivated by this Rick handed Judith over to Daryl and as always she snuggled up to him and her whines quieted noticeably. It was such an amazing picture to see Daryl care for Judith. He would never be tired to see it.

When he now turned around Rick could see the stunned faces and unbelieving eyes.  
They could not understand that he just willingly handed his baby daughter over to a man who constantly carried his crossbow, came into the city with a dead rodent dangling from his dirty hands and was the embodiment of their redneck prejudices.

So he bit bag a grin, kept a straight face and went over to Deanna who had this measuring, probing look on her face. The one she had since they arrived, as if she was planing something or trying to figure something or someone out. He did not like this look on himself, his daughter or his lover. He was skeptical when it came to Deanna as a person. Although that could be nothing.

Turned out, Deanna wanted to introduce him to several people among them her husband and her children.

An hour later, give or take, Rick heard Daryl's near silent footsteps. Seconds later Daryl stood next to him, opposite of Deanna and leaned in a bit so not everybody would hear what he had to say.

“She's tired. Thought I go ova an' put her PJs on so she can sleep.”  
“Alright. Go ahead. I come as soon as I'm finished and bring her to bed” he was glad that Daryl unintentionally or intentionally gave him this opportunity to leave the party without appearing to be rude.  
Daryl nodded and left.

“It's been a long day for her and it's way past her usual bedtime, no wonder she is dead on her feet...”  
Deanna gave him an understanding smile and nodded, her husband had a similar expression.  
“Of course Rick, you can go and bring Judith to bed. We would not want to keep you from that.”  
Her husband added a “Have a good night Rick” and then he was excused.

When he came over to the house Aaron told them was theirs Rick found it mostly dark. They slept together in the open living room, dining room, kitchen combination. Judith's crib, an actual crib for their daughter he was so glad, stood near the dining room table and next to a window on which bench Daryl slept. Judith could be safe and Daryl would also wake up if anything was wrong with Judith on the almost unthinkable occasion that Rick himself would not wake up.

But what was strange when he came home was the music he heard when he opened the door. It was a voice singing. More specifically, it was Daryl's deep drawl singing.  
He was singing the song Beth and Maggie had sung back when they had arrived at the prison for the first time and slept in the yard.  
It had easy lyrics and sometimes one of them would start to hum it when they felt nostalgic or missed Beth, Hershel and others they had lost. It kind of became their song.

Some of them had nice singing voices like Maggie and Michonne could hum a decent tune, Carol as well and surprisingly Abraham but Daryl never sang with them.  
Right now the song was a few octaves too deep and also slightly out of tune. The melody was unmistakable but Daryl hit the notes only few and far in between. Nobody would call it nice or pleasant. Nobody except Rick and Judith.

Judith's eyes were droopy, she was blinking rapidly as if to try and stay awake. And to Rick Daryl's drawl was one of the most beautiful song he's ever heard, because he did it for Judith. Daryl stepped out of his comfort zone to bring Judith to bed and make her fall asleep. He was doing it for their daughter and that made it so amazing and mesmerizing.

Rick stood at the door until Daryl was finished and then sneaked over as silently as he could, kissed Judith goodnight and then kissed Daryl, transmitting the “I love you” without words.


End file.
